Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower — Local services in Hartford

We had a fun time visiting the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower which opens at 10am on Sundays. It only cost $10 (credit cards only) to take a guided tour up in the tower to see the Alton area. We had a very friendly and informative tour guide.

Located just one mile from the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site in Hartford, IL, the tower rises 180 feet above the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Three tower viewing platforms, at 50, 100 and 150 feet, highlight the stories of the surrounding area including the Village of Hartford, the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway, the Lewis & Clark journey and, of course, the two great rivers. A garden representing plants collected by explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their westward journey and an outdoor amphitheater sit at the base of the tower and are also part of the visitor experience. The indoor visitor center has an interactive exhibits with videos and graphic panels which tell the stories of the history, wildlife and communities along the byway. Tower Season: Open May 18, 2023 – October 29, 2023 Closed November and December Opens for Eagle Season January 6, 2024 – February 25, 2024 Closed March and...

Update: I had Google revise the hours so they read accurately. TEMPORARILY CLOSED

Listen, I have been here before and had great experiences. It really is neat to see the two rivers converge! Today, Saturday March 23rd, 2024- I packed my kids up and drove 45 minutes so they could experience the Confluence Tower. I checked Google's hours and it said they were open! Great! Upon arrival we see a sign listing hours... "CLOSED NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, open from January to February". The sign fails to mention that the confluence Tower closes yet again, from MARCH to MAY!! I'm absolutely mind blown that the sign out front does not communicate that! I called the number affiliated with the tower, and spoke with a person that said Hartford Illinois owns it and is well aware of the miscommunication and has yet to fix that. For something that cost money to get into, 1) You are missing out on revenue. I was not the only car that pulled into the lot to attempt to visit. Other visitors showed up as well, only to be as disappointed as I was. 2) You are making people (me) annoyed by advertising false hours. I do not like my time, energy and resources...

Four stars because it is part of a historic site. Otherwise underwhelming. Even the fees to access the viewing platforms are reasonable. Not cool is being mobbed by wasps, stink bugs, and other critters when you step off literally each elevator stop. They were congregating in these locations because they are warmer due to being in the sun in the morning. Also maps are good but it would be nice if they would point out private roads from trails that are marked. Got a good walk in to try to get closer to the confluence only to find out that the road to the area on the map that would have taken us there were private roads. If you want to get to an area just south of the confluence, it's best to go in where the Lewis and Clark historic site is just down the road and take the levy access road. There is a public parking area down by the Mississippi just south of the confluence. The confluence should be pretty easily seen from that point when the water is at normal levels. There are trails...